Ambassador of the Arts Award recipients include:

• Douglas H. Wheeler (2022), Washington Performing Arts President Emeritus
• Soloman Howard (2021), operatic bass and social justice advocate
• Midori (2020), violinist, educator, and humanitarian
• Sir James Galway (2019), flutist and educator
• Lonnie G. Bunch III (2018), educator, historian, and the Founding Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Denyce Graves (2017), mezzo-soprano and educator
• Jacqueline Badger Mars (2016), business leader and philanthropist
• Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg† (2015), Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
• Leon Fleisher ^† (2014), pianist, conductor, and educator
• Jessye Norman ^† (2013), soprano

† deceased